IWoMA Launches Grant Project To Support Women In Mining

A Professional pressure group, “Initiative for Women Miners in Africa”, IWoMA, has launched the Women Miners Grants and Loans Readiness Project to support women in the mining sector with funding. 

This is contained in a statement signed by a representative of IWoMA, Dr Adeola Olajugbagbe, in Abuja.

The statement says the aim is to support and facilitate positive changes for women miners across Africa.

It urges social sector workers to increase their interest and efforts in improving the living standard and operational safety of women miners in rural mining communities.

According to the statement the harsh conditions under which women miners work in communities demand more urgent measures, more proactive mitigation actions and greater collaboration among stakeholders.

According to the statement, the Director and head of the organisation, Dr Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji appeals to social workers to develop interest in the mining sector, particularly targeting women miners and children in their intervention efforts.

She notes that majority of these women require soft loans to acquire minor mining equipment and safety gadgets, which will increase their profit and maintain safe working conditions.

“This is why IWoMA has launched our Grants and Loans Readiness Project for women NGOs and women owned artisanal mining (ASM) companies across the states”.

“We are committed to this cause and will continue to encourage capacity building for women through our platforms and networks. Hopefully the miners should start qualifying for loans and grants through this project. We look forward to starting measuring the impacts of the project in the next few months,” she said. 

IWoMA is set to work with local NGOs as an intermediary organisation committed to ensuring the application of Sustainable Development Goals 5 which aims to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls particularly in the solid minerals sector.

By Georgina Humphrey